Check Mate
by PrincessFreakinCastiel
Summary: Artemis wakes up in Dr. J Argon's psychiatric ward with nearly all his memories. The one he's missing? Holly. If you like comedy romance light comedy please read! First story!
1. Chapter 1

"Check Mate."

**AN: this is kind of a tribute to all of you writers who have written stories about Artemis and his healing process after he develops the Atlantis complex. But especially to Snakequeen-in-Norway. I really enjoyed your story "Road to Recovery"!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl; if I did then we would all be cozied up with a mug of hot chocolate reading The Last Guardian.**

Chapter 1:

Darkness. Everywhere. It was complete and smothering. The feeling of nothingness crept all over the senses.

_That's impossible. There is no such thing as a feeling of nothing, because nothing is a noun. It cannot therefore, be nothing because nothing is something. It can be described as a vacuum of the senses perhaps, but it cannot stand up to logic that it is nothing… it is void…_

Artemis was utterly perplexed. He tried to clear his mind and find his inner peace, his qi, as Butler called it. Now, to start with, where was he? The last thing he remembered was falling to the floor in a dark tunnel, his body unreasonably exhausted…

Where was that tunnel? He knew it had something to do with why he was in the dark in the first place. 4. Artemis involuntarily shuddered. 4. He blinked in the darkness, one eyebrow twitching. 4. _WHY DOES THAT NUMBER AFFECT ME SO? _He screamed inside of his prison of black, of death…

_Holly. Holly. Holly. Holly. Holly. _For some reason, the name seemed to calm him down. _Holly has five sound letters._ _Five is good, very good. _There was obviously a problem inside his mind. Numbers should hold no reign over him. He was a Fowl, after all.

Who was Holly? Why did her name elicit calm inside the confines of his dark mind? _This is no good. I can't think properly. Where is my computer? Where is my desk? Where is Butler? _Suddenly Artemis became aware of a presence other than his own. In fact, there were several. This made no sense to him, so he tried to shut it out. It was highly possible that it was a trick played by his mind to try to make heads or tails of something.

However, the harder he tried to block them out, the clearer they became, almost as if his struggle to acknowledge them was their fuel. Artemis could now feel them all around him, he could feel them breathing and shifting their weight from foot to foot. Suddenly, one of them spoke.

"Are you really as helpless and simple as all that? Trying to ignore us? That is a pathetic plan, and it will never work, seeing as we are you, in essence. Really Artemis, I would have expected more of you."

Artemis froze. The voice was incredibly familiar, yet he could not place it. It was cold, demeaning, and demanding his attention all at once. It hit him like a ton of bricks. Slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his hands from his eyes and looked at the people facing him. He gasped audibly.

Standing in front of him were 7 boys, all of them exactly alike. Exactly alike him. He glanced from boy to boy, and it was only by their eyes that he could tell them apart.

One of them, the one who had spoken, had two blue eyes. Artemis tried to remember why this seemed strange to him. The he filed it away to examine at a later date. Standing next to him was a version of himself with green eyes. And to his right, a boy with brown eyes. On that boy's right was an Artemis with yellow eyes. It was mildly uncomfortable to look at him.

He moved on. This next one had grey eyes, which wasn't too bad. And on his right was a boy with white eyes. This one bothered him. He was glancing around at everyone as if at any moment they would leap up and tear him to pieces. Artemis did not appreciate seeing himself so afraid of anything.

And finally, standing off to the side abut 5 feet from the others, was an Artemis with black eyes. He looked up when Artemis's gaze passed over him, and they locked eyes. Artemis felt a terrible shiver run down his spine. He had no wish to get to know this one. He could feel in his mind that he was capable of horrible things. Dark things that any normal person wouldn't dare to speak of.

Finally, Artemis looked away. He turned his attention to the one with blue eyes, since he had addressed him personally.

"Where are we?"

The other him sighed in clear exasperation.

"Do you honestly not know? Think Artemis. It is what you do best… or rather, what I seem to be doing considerably better than you. Really, it is ridiculous to see myself so confused. One might have thought, at first glance, that you were indeed a _normal_ boy."

Artemis did not like the way he put an emphasis on "normal". He spat out the word contemptuously as if it were something foul-tasting. Artemis glared at him. As he stared into his eyes, he suddenly realized why they were so strange. They were an icy blue, filled with pride and cold determination. Brilliant, and yet haughty and debasing.

"I don't much care for your acidity. Perhaps it would benefit you immensely to remember who you are addressing. After all," he said, surveying the others before turning back to face him, "I seem to be the dominant personality here. I would advise you to keep that in mind."

The other personality returned the glare. "Yes, while you may be dominant now, I assure you that it is temporary. You will find, I think, that before long the tables will have turned on you. Enjoy this while it lasts." And with that, he turned away dismissively.

"I shall ask this question again. Where are we?" Artemis said, still glaring at him. The boy turned to him and sighed again.

"Fine, I shall answer you. We are in a coma at the present, and judging by the conversation we heard while unconscious, we are in the renowned Dr. J. Argon's psychiatric ward, being monitored."

Artemis's eyes grew wide at this. He remembered. Well, sort of. He still couldn't remember who Holly was. But now he understood why he was in a coma. He had Atlantis Complex. Most likely Butler was watching over him even now, refusing to leave the room…

As if on cue, Artemis felt a jolt run through him like a knife. He knew that it was electroshock therapy being used to wake him up. He glanced at his arms through his watery eyes. They were fading. He looked at the other personalities to find that they were fading too… that could only mean one thing.

"D'Arvit."

All at once, the darkness was pitched and tossed this way and that, while all of them struggled to make their way toward the glowing door that had appeared in the center of the room. Artemis dropped to all fours and crawled to the doorway. Someone stepped on his hand. He cried out in pain. He threw off his attacker and grasped the doorknob… he turned it…

"ARTEMIS!"

Instantly light flooded into his vision and he blinked uncontrollably.

"Someone get that darn light out of his vision, he's going blind here."

"Move over! I wanna see the mud boy's face when he realizes what's going on…"

"Shut up Mulch! Or I swear I'll kick you rear end all the way back to Atlantis-"

"Hey Donkey boy, move you hairy butt out of the way before my fists do."

"Oops! Um yeah I'll just… hey! He's trying to say something!"

"Well then shut up and let him say it!"

"You're the one blabbing!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"SHUT UP!"

Artemis finally regained control of his vision and looked around at everyone.

"Um… hi?"

"Artemis! Thank Frond you're all right! You've had us all in darn near a coma ourselves, sick with worry! Do you have any idea how freakin' long you made us wait? Two days! Two days, Artemis! Seriously if you ever do that again, I'll kick your sorry mud boy butt farther than I'm kickin' Mulch here! I-"

"Excuse me," said Artemis, who was by now thoroughly bamboozled, "but who are you?"

The room went dead silent. Artemis gazed into her eyes, one hazel green and one an icy blue, waiting for her to explain. Surely strangers should not be allowed in his room!

"What?" Holly gaped at him. She was speechless.

"I said, who are you? And why the heck are you in my room? Surely strangers are not allowed to walk into random patient's rooms?"

"But Artemis," Holly said slowly and quietly, gazing at him in disbelief. He didn't remember her? "I'm not a stranger. I'm Holly, remember?" She watched his eyes, searching for some sign of recognition. Anything. It didn't come.

"I assure you, I don't know anyone by the name of Holly. Perhaps Butler here would like to escort you out." Artemis said, a little irritated. Who did she think she was?

All eyes moved to Butler. He looked at Artemis like he was crazy. (But then again, he is.)

"Artemis…. You do realize what you're saying here?" Butler was astonished. He remembered him, as was expected, but he forgot the fairy with whom he had swapped eyes? _This is not good at all._

Artemis frowned. "Of course I do, Butler. The words came out of my mouth, didn't they?"

"Well, you have been known to say things not of your own accord of late," Foaly said, whinnying nervously and shifting from foot to foot. Or rather, from hoof to hoof.

"Um yeah you aren't exactly in your best state of mind," Mulch agreed, chomping on something that looked remotely like a chicken bone. A very large chicken bone. "But then again, maybe it is your best state of mind, because watching you embarrass the D'Arvit out of yourself is pretty funny." He grinned mischievously.

"You honestly don't remember me?" Holly whispered. She felt empty.

Artemis studied her face like it was one of his many experiments. "No."

For a moment, Holly fought her emotions, trying not to cry in front of the others. The she straightened up and looked Butler in the eye.

"Come and get me when he regains his senses," she said coldly. She stalked out of the room, slamming the door on her way out. Everyone stared after her. Finally Artemis broke the silence with a nervous question.

"Er… she wasn't my girlfriend, was she?"


	2. Chapter 2

Holly sat at her desk in the LEP office she had been assigned to as a Major. She was sitting with her feet up on the desktop, ear buds in, music blasting, and the paperwork piled precariously on the farthest edge of her desk ignored. Today her motto was "Do no boring work stuff; it will only make you more infuriated with that stupid mud boy. That little forgetful piece of tunnel slime with his stupid sickness and his lame- ughh!" Yeah, it was long, but it worked- well, The doorbell thingy rang as the door to her office was opened, but she didn't hear it over the sound of Screaming in the Tunnel's new hit song "My Aunt Looks Like a Troll!". Nor did she hear the quiet but tell-tale clippity-clop of hooves on the fake linoleum. So it wasn't until a hairy hand lightly landed on her shoulder that she realized someone else was there.

She whipped around, drawing out her neutrino 5000 (recent invention- guess who?) and used the elite training she had received in the academy to slam the unfortunate intruder into the aforementioned fake linoleum

"AAAHHHRG! Don't kill me please! Just a nosy centaur trying to cheer you up here!"

"Foaly? What the heck do you think you're doing, sneaking up on me like that? I could've given you a concussion. Don't go grabbing people from behind like that, D'Arvit." She snapped irritably.

"Sorry, just trying to help," he wheezed. "Do you think you could let me up now? Please?"

"Well you don't have to be grumpy about it," she huffed quite grumpily herself.

"Um, I really wasn't that grumpy. And wouldn't you be grumpy if someone landed on top of you?"

Holly huffed again and finally let him up. The centaur stood wobbly and shook his head before restoring his beloved tinfoil hat to its original position.

"Someone would be very sorry if they landed on me."

"Obviously," he muttered. "So, care to tell me why you're sneaking around here in the first place?"

Foaly shuffled his hooves, looking a little nervous. He seemed to be biting back a sarcastic comment that would inevitably lead to him lying on the floor in pain.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, you gonna answer me or not?"

"Well…"

"Don't start that with me," she snapped. "Get on with it!"

"Okay, okay," he surrendered. "I came to see how you were handling 'The Incident'."

"None of your business. And what do you mean, 'handling'?"

"Erm, well you didn't seem to be taking it well the other day. You kinda slammed the door on the whole thing."

"It's still none of your business how I feel about anything. I am not going to go talk to him, if that's what you mean."

"Holly, he is not going to remember you any faster if you don't go talk to him. And it's not his fault he doesn't remember you in the first place."

"Yes it is!" Holly exploded. "If he hadn't gone and tried to steal magic in that stupid time stream then none of this would have happened. And Opal wouldn't be on the loose either, thanks to that whole paradox thing. So we wouldn't have had to go back in time, and we wouldn't have had to steal a lemur, and he wouldn't have lied to me, and I wouldn't have k-"

"You wouldn't have what?"

"Er… nothing." Holly faltered, and blushed furiously.

"Were you about to say ki-"

"No! Frond, no. Just forget about it. But I am still not going to go see him, no matter what you say."

[15 minutes later]

"I cannot believe you are making me do this," Holly whispered furiously. "It's so not fair!"

"I don't think you really have a choice. Unless you want some nasty rumors leaked out about you and Artemis-"

"We totally never did that! Just so you know," she added grumpily.

"Whatever," Foaly gave her a slightly evil grin. "You still wouldn't want people to hear about it."

"Ugghh. I hate it when you win," she grumbled.

"Yeah. I know. Isn't it great? Now get in there before I go and play fanfare on my phone to announce your arrival to the whole hallway."

Holly opened the door grudgingly and stepped inside. She looked around the room and found Artemis staring at her. She blushed and stood there awkwardly, waiting for him to say something. But he just sat there staring. And staring. And staring…

"What are you looking at?" she snapped.

Holly walked forward so that she could see his face without the glare from the window that overlooked Haven City.  
>As she walked she noticed his eyes- roving up and down her body. She stopped walking.<p>

"What the Frond do you think you're doing?"

He grinned like a fool and continued, eyes coming to a rest on her face. It was bright red.

"Oh don't mind me babe. I'm just getting to know this nice little piece of eye candy."

Holly blinked furiously. Eye candy? What the heck? Something was wrong. It was soooo wrong.

"Artemis, stop. You're creeping me out, and I'm going to leave if you don't. I was going to talk to you, but…"

He stopped and frowned.

"No, no. Don't leave on my account. Sit down, please miss…?"

"Holly Short," she said slowly, sitting down in the chair as far away from him as possible.

"Mm. I like it. It's pretty hot, not unlike yourself, of course."

Holly was totally thrown by this last comment. Was Artemis hitting on her?

"Watch it." She glared frostily.

"Oh no problem babe, I'll tone it down just for you." He winked and flashed a flirty smile, vampire teeth glowing even whiter in the bright light.

"Um, Artemis, you obviously don't remember me yet." Holly said, avoiding the subject completely.

"No, but I wish I did," he said, eyes roaming once again. "By the way, I haven't introduced myself because you obviously think I'm that weirdo geek Artemis. My name is Apollo. You know, like the god of music, poetry, and the sun. I must say, I am pretty hot."

Holly groaned. Not this again, this is what happened with Orion…

"Hey! No problems babe, I can be whoever you want me to be. I can even write you a song if you want," he said, hearing her groan and completely misinterpreting it.

"No, no please don't do that," Holly said hurriedly as he opened his mouth to sing something to her. "Okay, so are you another alter ego or something?" she asked, hoping to distract him with a topic that had nothing to do with her or love songs.

"Of course! Though if you ask me, I should be the dominant ego all the time. That way Artemis here could pick up way more chicks. This is actually my first time out into the real world. It's pretty cool. But not as cool as me." He grinned at this; as if he'd made the funniest joke in the world by saying he was cool, even though he was named Apollo.

"Er… right. Okay then, I'm gonna go now; I've got a lot of paperwork to do. So um, bye then."

She stood up and made for the door. She never turned around, though she was sure that if she did she would find him staring at her butt.

"Aw, c'mon babe, don't leave so soon! I got plenty of songs to entertain ya with!"

"No. no, I really do have to go." Holly said, and shut the door quickly behind her.

She made a beeline for Dr. Argon's office.

It was only a few doors down, so there wasn't much issue of time. When she got there she opened the door and didn't even bother knocking. It wasn't locked anyhow.

"Hey! Don't you police officers even knock any more?" Argon grumbled as she came through the door.

He was sitting at his desk filling out paperwork and looking thoroughly annoyed with everything. Well, it's nice to think that some people do that stuff, Holly thought. She walked up to his desk, which was extremely well organized for someone who treated crazy people. You would think he would have hardly any time for such things.

"Nope, we generally just stroll in, find the problem, and then blast it. No complicated processes, no theories necessary. Simple solution."

Dr. Argon gulped and pushed his paperwork to the side cautiously, as if she might shoot him. Hey for all he knew, she could have. The LEP were generally very annoyed with him these days.

"What can I do for you, Miss Short?"

"It's Major Short, actually."

"Major Short. Right, well what can I do for you?"

"Nothing, it's just I thought you would be interested to know that Artemis has developed a new personality named Apollo, who is pretty conceited and seems to have no filter from his eyes to his brain to his mouth."

"Really? A new personality has surfaced? How very interesting! Tell me my dear, did he have an obsession with any particular flavor of pickles?"

Holly screwed up her nose at the thought.

"Ew, no. And pickles are disgusting vegetables with a high concentration of salt brine in them, so what the heck do they have to do with a new personality?"

"Oh everything! But you wouldn't understand that; you aren't a doctor. Well! In light of this recent development I believe I shall go inquire that of my subject now, and discover his inner motivation. Goodbye, I shall be in his room."

"Um… okay then." Said Holly as the eccentric doctor left the room looking like a little elf in a candy store. She gazed around the room a bit, and then left. As she headed down the hallway to find Butler, she couldn't help but puzzle over this one word: PICKLES?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

**A/N: Well guys, I am terribly sorry for the wait to those of you who have read me from the beginning. I know, I know! Don't kill me please! :( But, regardless, here it is at last. Sorry it has taken soooo long to get back on... and I apologize for its shortness of length. But, as always, happy reading! Please R&R! Once I get 10 reviews I will post the nest chapter ASAP! :)**

**With love, **

**Arty's Girl.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. If I did, I would have been murdered by angry fans anxious for more to read months ago!**

Artemis growled in frustration. It should be him out there, not this fool Apollo. He was humiliated. He didn't even know this poor girl, and already Apollo was making a fool of him in front of her. He watched, mortified, as his own eyes traveled up and down her against his will. Artemis listened to his own voice and grimaced at the cheesy lines that came out of his mouth.

He was staring at the back wall in his study, watching the images that his eyes were seeing be projected onto it. At least, it looked like his study. Artemis knew that it was simply a memory that his brain had conjured up and modified to try and make sense of all that was going on inside his mind's turmoil.

Finally, hearing and seeing quite enough thank you very much, he tore his eyes away from the screen and glanced around at the personalities that filled the room. Over by the bookcases, the one with blue eyes was milling about, reading titles and flipping through pages. In his boredom, he had decided to learn something. (As if there was something he didn't know, seeing as Artemis had read every book in the manor.)

Artemis had come to know him as Daedalus. It was a fitting name; he was cunning and as clever as Artemis, yet he was cold and cruel. He reminded Artemis of himself when he was younger. He had had many adventures where he had certainly been less than cordial to all he met. And there were some things he had done that he regretted…

Daedalus looked up at Artemis suddenly, as if he sensed his gaze and understood his thoughts. Yet Artemis did not like to think of him as a part of himself. In fact, he was convinced that all of these personalities were simply extras, beings his mind had constructed from his memories as a result of trauma. As he looked at Daedalus, he could tell that he disagreed.

Daedalus looked away, and Artemis turned his eye to a different extra. The one with brown eyes. He was standing in front of the fireplace, gazing into his reflection in the mirror and wearing a look that made Artemis sick to his stomach. _If Foaly could see inside my exceptional brain…_ he shuddered at the thought of laughter and tormenting.

Artemis turned away from the vain (and deluded) version of himself with enormous distaste for all of his egotism. _He_ was called Narcissus.

The next one his eyes came across was the extra with green eyes. He was already familiar with this one. (Guess who? =]) Orion. _Oh jubilance._ He had no need to think about the endless amount of problems he had caused… Artemis stopped. Where had that thought come from? And how did he know that he was familiar with Orion? He didn't remember ever encountering him before… hm. He mentally moved a cursor to click file-save.

Orion was over in the corner, arguing hotly with anyone who would listen that he knew the fairest maiden in the land and that they were in no way to disgrace her honor by pretending not to notice the horrendous fashion with which Apollo was observing her.

Artemis shook his head. Fairest maiden in the land? Who did this extra think he was, anyway? Or rather, to be more correct, what era did he think he was living in at the present? He scoffed the fool's ridiculous quarrel. No doubt he would get over it soon, as he was known to get easily distracted. So Artemis had concluded of him based on his body language and actions so far.

A portion of the conversation suddenly reached his ears. He quickly realized that was because Orion was directing a question at him.

"…do you not agree with me, kind sir?"

Artemis blinked. He had not heard the whole question, of course.

"I do beg your pardon? I had not realized you were addressing me."

Orion puffed up his chest and tried to look important. The end result was slightly less than impressive on Artemis's figure. Well, if you can imagine; the expensive Armani suit, the perfectly combed hair, the pale white skin glowing slightly under the lamplight, the mismatched eyes… Now imagine it with the suit a little disheveled the hair messy and definitely less than immaculate, due to the wholehearted arguing. The face drawn into a pompous look of clear anger… Despite Orion's intentions, he looked ridiculous.

"I asked you, goodly knight, if you agreed that my maiden is far more beautiful than any of us could ever deserve, or if you would find her a prize worth pursuing and dying for."

Artemis blinked. His thoughts reeled. This was uncharted territory. This was unknown and alien to him. As foreign as... well, now that he thought about it, he was pretty much familiar with just about anything... except for this. He tried to think quickly of something to say that would allow him to remain the dominant and most sensible of all the personalities. This was, of course, what was happening in his head. What he really said was this.

"Uhhh... um, well I suppose... erm, comparable to a Da Vinci... well maybe a Michelangelo... um, she is, uh- great I guess." He finished with a rush. He felt his face burning red.

"I thought you would agree," continued Orion in his annoying and somehow British-sounding accent. "Her eyes put the very stars in heaven to shame… cause them to tremble in inferiority. Her lips are redder than the most perfect sunset… the sweet words that tumble from them are music to my soul…!"

Artemis raised an eyebrow and blushed. _Is it even possible for this imbecile to reside somewhere in my mind? He is speaking utter foolishness. As if I would EVER say such things._

"Indeed." He replied, a little testily. "Would you care to contain your ridiculous display of affection? I can hardly hear myself think inside my own head."

Orion looked completely taken aback. Suddenly, he drew to his full height and glared Artemis in the eye.

"Was that an insult to my mistress?" He raised his voice.

"No, that was an insult to you," Artemis shrugged. "But feel free to take it any way you please. Only, in all good sanity, do it quietly." He drew himself up and began to cross the room to a book shelf.

_THWACK!_

"Ow!" Artemis spun around to see Orion breathing heavily and holding up a copy of _Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes,_ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in the air menacingly.

"Take that back, you coward!" He yelled, and swung again.

Artemis ducked and narrowly missed it. He could hear the book _swoosh_ as it passed over his head. "Thank you Butler," Artemis muttered as he fell back and regained his composure.

"Are you mad?" came the angry voice of someone in his left field of vision. Artemis glanced over to see Daedalus snap shut his book. Artemis was about to reply when he was forced to duck again. To his surprise, Daedalus strode toward Orion, not him.

"Do you want a migraine?" he demanded. "Hitting him hurts all of us, you fool! We are all part of the same person!"

Orion swore. "I do not care! He has insulted my honor and the beauty of my lady, whom I must serve with all my heart! I will defend her!"

"Unless," came a low and piercing voice from the corner, "You all wish to be restrained, I suggest you behave."

Artemis turned. In the corner of the room, sitting in a Victorian arm chair, was the alter with black eyes. His face was in shadow, backlit by the lamp on the table next to him. He seemed to glare straight through Artemis like a hot knife.

"After all," he continued, "You really shouldn't piss me off. Then it's no more Mr. Nice Guy." He grinned a twisted smile and laughed. The laugh was loud, harsh, and scratchy- it sent shivers down everyone's spines like nails on a chalkboard. There was silence in the room.

Artemis looked back at Orion. Slowly, he put down the book and walked away.

_What just happened? It is obvious this one is a bit off his rocker. Of course,_ thought Artemis, amused, _I think we all are._

**A/N: Sooooo how was it? Good? Bad? Tell me anyways! Just no flames please! :) Don't forget to R&R! 10 reviews= Chapter 4!**_  
><em>

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

**A/N: Well, here it is. My master piece of hilarity. Seriously, this one was making me crack up and I could barely type it. I hope you enjoy! As always, Please R&R! Ideas are also welcome, and no flames please. :) I am a bit disappointed in the amount of reviews I have gotten Surely, there would be at least 10 people nice enough to do that for me... :( well, I guess it will have to get more popular first. Anyhow, this time I am shooting for 10 again reviews before I upload chapter 5. (And this time, I really will follow through with withholding chapter 6 until I get more reviews!) Keep up the cycle of love! :) If I have made mistakes, I heartily apologize. Please don't go all grammar ninja on me! I don't make a whole lot of them, but when I do 9 times out of 10 I notice after it's already been uploaded. Well anyhow, on to the story!**

**With love, **

**Arty's Girl.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. If I did, this would be a magical and beautiful parallel universe where it rained chocolate :)**

Dr. J. Argon limped excitedly down the hall towards Artemis's room. A new personality! What a development! _This is just excellent._ He beamed. _The longer Fowl stays cooped up in my hospital, the better. The last celebrity we had here didn't stay long enough- _but he stopped, because Opal Koboi's escape was _not_ a pleasant memory, and right now he was so happy he could barely feel the pain in his hip.

He had reached the door. He stopped, took a deep breath, drew up to his full height, and prepared himself to meet the new personality. Dr. Argon smiled again and opened the door.

"Artemis! I see you are awake. Tell me, how are you feeling?" he asked as he strode over to check the medical machines next to the bed.

Artemis screwed up his face is disgust.

"Artemis? Eww, no. that guy is sooo lame. Not to mention OCD, and boring. Plus he uses way too many big words that I can't understand."

Dr. Argon looked up from his examinations. He raised an eyebrow and pretended to be surprised. (Truthfully, he was also hiding some laughter).

"Not Artemis? Hmm, I see. Do you know who I am?"

Artemis rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Dude. I live inside his brain. I'm not stupid."

Dr. Argon blinked in honest surprise at the ridiculous (and yet satisfying) sight of the word "dude" escaping the teenage human's mouth.

"Well then. I don't suppose you would like to introduce yourself?"

Artemis grinned.

"Yeah man, my pleasure. I'm Apollo. You know, like god of the-"

"Yes, yes, I'm familiar with him." Argon interrupted impatiently. Enthused, he pulled up a chair to Artemis's bedside. "I am a doctor, after all. However, I am not familiar with you. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" he continued eagerly.

Apollo looked a little miffed at being interrupted. Then he grinned again. He suddenly had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that Argon didn't much care for.

"Can I answer a question with a question?"

The doctor frowned but nodded. "Well, I suppose so."

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much are moving pictures worth, like a movie?" he gave a crooked smile.

"Uhh...Hmmm…. well I… I suppose they are worth-"

"And how much is a song worth?" he cut in. "And here's the big question: how much is a real live event worth?"

Argon was flustered. He had no idea where the mud boy was going with this, but he had a little worry feeling in his stomach that tried to clue him in. He didn't like feeling unprepared.

"Young man, I have no idea what-"

"You know what the problem with you is?" Apollo mused. "You are wayyy too uptight. You should take lessons from me on how to loosen up, let go a little. Have some fun." He winked. "In fact Doctor, I know just the thing we can do for you." He laughed and gave a wicked little smirk.

And before Argon knew what was happening, Apollo had yanked the medicine drip from his arm and tore off all of the sensors on his chest and head. The machines began to panic and made a squealing noise that sounded like the hissing of a teapot.

Dr. Argon leaped to his feet.

"Artemis!" he cried. "What are you doing?"

"I told you dude. It's not Artemis; it's Apollo," he said, and threw off the covers of the bed, directly onto Argon's head. Then he jumped up, picked up the bundle of yelling and protesting fairy and covers, and stuffed it onto the bed. He ran around to the head of it and pushed. The wheels began to roll.

"Hey!" Argon tried to say, but his mouth was full of sheets, and all that came out was "Aahheyyyyggghhh!" He couldn't grab the com link that was on his wrist because his arms were wrapped up too tightly to move them.

Suddenly he lurched backwards onto the pillow as the bed began to move. Artemis pushed it straight to the door, threw it wide open, and careened out into the hallway. With the speed of a charging bull, he ran along it, laughing hysterically and pushing the nearly flying bed in front of him, with bouncing Argon screaming all the way.

"I think I've picked up enough speed now," he yelled. "Surf's up! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" And he sprung up onto the mattress and stood on it, bracing himself like, well, like a surfer.

Nurses and patients began peeking out of doors all down the hall to see what in Frond's name could be making such an awful racket. They were greeted by the beautiful sight of Artemis's hospital gown flapping open wildly in the wind as he zoomed by precariously. What a nice way to wake up from your nap.

"Here comes a door to somewhere!" yelled Artemis, or Apollo, gleefully.

"Here comes a what?!" yelled Argon, terrified.

"HERE COMES A DOOR! I THINK IT'S TO THE CAFETERIA!" screamed Apollo with joy.

"NOOOOO!" Argon cried, anticipating the awful crash that would soon ensue.

"GUESS WE WILL FIND OUT!" cackled the mad mud man.

They both screamed for two very, very different reasons. Little did either of them know, but there was about to be a little more chaos than a loud bang and a crash here.

[Holly's POV]

Holly found Butler in the cafeteria. Her first instinct was to go to the gym, where he was surely working off the stress of keeping watch by Artemis's bedside almost constantly. It had been very difficult for him to get used to the idea that Artemis was safe in his room without his body-guard. Butler didn't necessarily trust people alone with his charge (or his charge to be alone).

However, it had been a week since he had woken up, and Juliet had finally convinced him that Artemis would be okay. He was constantly monitored, after all. Under normal circumstances, a week of convincing would not have done it. A week of convincing would have gotten you punched. But these were not normal circumstances, and Butler finally gave in due to the fact that Foaly or one of the others would come and visit every day.

And this is why Holly found him in the cafeteria, taking a very short break to get food and go back to Artemis.

She walked over to the line when she got there, because it was easy to spot his slouching (the ceiling was lower than he was used to) and hulking figure above the crowd of fairies. He was ordering a few salads (one obviously wouldn't do it) and some soup.

"Butler?" she came up beside him. He looked down at her and gave a respectful nod.

"Major Short."

She smiled that he got the title right. Unlike some doctors these days…

"…And that will be all," he finished and took his food back to a table where Holly joined him.

"So, Butler," she started, "I just came from Artemis's room, and I thought you would be interested in knowing that he has developed a new personality. When I left, Argon was about to go check on him."

Butler raised an eyebrow.

"A new one?"

"Yep."

"What is he like?" he asked.

Holly rolled her eyes. "Not any more lovable than the first one."

"Orion?"

"Yeah. That idiot. Well, this one seems to have, if possible, even less of a filter from his mind to his mouth."

Butler gave her a look but did not ask.

"So, does this one have a name?"

"He is calling himself Apollo, like the god of the sun. He's… an odd duck, you'll have to see for yourself." She stated.

"Hm," said Butler. "Should I go now, so that I can catch him in this personality? Or do you think it will stay awhile?"

"Oh, I think it's gonna stay," she reassured him. "He's hard to get rid of, it seems like."

_BAM!_

"SO IT IS THE CAFETERIA!" Apollo yelled over the din of chatter as the bed burst through the doors and hurtled towards a table.

The table that Butler and Holly just happened to be sitting at.

"OH FROND!" yelled a muffled and agonized Argon from inside the bundle Apollo was sort of standing on. "SOMEBODY STOP THIS THING!"

Too late.

Holly looked away from Butler when the doors banged open. She was now staring, open-mouthed and horrified, at a delusional Artemis (who was a little too breezy in the undercarriage) surfing on top of a pile of blankets and a hospital bed headed straight for their table. Butler instinctively jumped out of the way and stretched out his arms to try to stop the thing before it crashed, or catch Artemis as he fell.

Unfortunately for Holly, neither of those things happened. She jumped up a second too late, and _CRASH! _

In a jumble of arms, legs, blankets, and food, Holly was launched onto her back where a scantily dressed Artemis landed none too comfortably on top of her.

The next thing she knew, the grinning idiot was laughing. Then he said, "Afternoon, Major Short. Today must be my lucky day to land dressed like this on such a beautiful woman."

**A/N: So, how was it? Pretty funny right? Please say yes, 'cause I will feel like the only weirdo besides my siblings who think it is. :) Please please R&R? Pretty please with chocolate on top (instead of cherries, which I don't like)? :) Feel free to give constructive criticism, just be nice. And no flames, once again! :) Eager for chapter 5? I know I am!**

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**A/N: Well guys, hear it is! The much awaited chapter 5! I have had 10 reviews, which has made me feel very warm and toasty this holiday season, despite cold weather. Thank you to everyone for your ideas, comments, and advice! :) I am excited about this chapter. This one is all Holly, so you'll have to wait for chapter 6 for Arty's POV again. Sorry! I think you will like it though. :) I am very pleased with how it turned out. Suggestions, praise, and ideas are welcome! Please recommend Check Mate to your friends. :) I know the reason for the title has not yet become evident, but it will. In time, my lovely readers... muahaha :) Anyways, so this time I need 12 reviews to post 6! Also, I don't think anyone noticed.. but last chapter I accidentally said "post chapter 6" when I meant chapter 5. But anyways... Happy reading!**

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. If I did, I would be a heck of a lot richer, and live in something almost identical to Fowl Manor. :)**

_I really should keep a record of all this stuff_, thought Holly. _And show it to Artemis when he gets better. That way he can know all of this pain he put me through. I should give him the chance to get real up close and personal with it. It would be a great learning experience. Arty loves education, doesn't he?_ She made a noise that sounded vaguely like "Urrrrghhhhhhh!"

After the Incident #2, Holly had been covered in salad, soup, and blood, thanks to Artemis's IV wounds. And to be honest with herself (and every poor unfortunate soul who encountered her afterwards) she was furious. _This whole thing is just stupid!_ She thought._Artemis Fowl- getting Atlantis Complex. Way to go, genius. Thanks a lot for wasting perfectly good time and energy that you could be using to work on the Ice Cube, or your family, or me…_ Holly trailed off in her thoughts because she realized that in her absentmindedness she had thought _me_, but she wasn't sure what that had meant.

Holly unlocked the door to her Haven apartment and went to open the door. It was stuck. With a frustrated grunt, she nailed it with a sharp kick from her boot. _I really should get that fixed._

The door slammed open, but her kick was too hard and she heard a _BANG-CRUNCH_ that told her the handle had just put a hole through her recently painted wall. She rushed inside and slammed the door to investigate the extent of the damage.

_"D'Arvit."_ She cursed, and headed for the bathroom. She had to get this awful mess off of her and take a nice, steaming, relaxing bath.

Holly lived in a busy, overpopulated area of Haven City Swear toads huddled in corners of the streets, and during the day all you could hear was loud fairy techno from the complex across from hers. More than once she had busted into a room yelling and waving her badge to tell the neighbors to shut up so she could get some sleep. After all, as soon as the moon rose on the surface she had to be up and getting ready for work.

The advantage of being a member of the LEP meant that all of the crime in the area avoided her complex like it was the plague. She never had problems with things being stolen or vandalized. The neighbors weren't bright, but they had enough sense to leave the fiery elf alone.

Holly trudged into her bathroom, discarding articles of her full uniform as she went. Soon her helmet, boots, suit, and badge lay strewn about the floor. She began to fill the tub with steaming water, and added various herbal fragrances and soaps from her large cabinet collection. She could hardly wait to just sink in and forget everything for a while.

When the tub was full and bubbly, Holly let herself down into the water and closed her eyes. _Ahh, bliss. That's better._She closed her eyes and let everything go. After only a few minutes, she drifted off to sleep…

_The hallway was very dark. Up ahead in the distance, light pulsed gently from under a steel door. Holly felt like she was under the mesmer, and her feet slowly shuffled forward of her own accord. For some reason, she just had to get through that door. She shivered uncontrollably. It was so cold in here. Her bare feet felt like stiff blocks of ice against the cold tile._

_Holly became suddenly aware of her location. She was in the hallway in the clinic; the one Artemis's room was in. Why? She wondered. It's so dark. Her internal watch told her it was somewhere around__1:00 a.m.__All of the other patients were doubtless sleeping, and for some reason Holly could not think of, there were no nurses making their nightly watch rounds._

_The door was slowly approaching. No, that's not right. She thought. I am slowly approaching the door. But now her feet were so cold she cold no longer feel them, and so it seemed that she was not moving. But the light under the door was calling to her. It spoke of warmth and comfort. Instinctively, Holly realized that unless she made it to the light, she would freeze to death. Already the chill had seeped into her bones._

_"Artemis?" she whispered into the darkness, as if he could hear her. He was probably asleep in his room. It then occurred to her that the door with the light- it was the door to his room. Was she on her way to see him? Was that why she had to get there?_

_Holly shivered again. She flexed her fingers, trying to put some warmth back into them. Why wasn't she moving faster? She had to get to Artemis!_

_A sense of panic and euphoric fear arose inside her. Something was wrong. Her heart began to pound, and she could feel the extra rush of blood pulsing through her. My feet- why won't my feet move faster? She thought desperately._

_Holly tried to force them to go. She really did. It was then that she realized her feet were stuck because they were frozen to the floor. With horror, she looked down at them to see cold, blue ice creeping up her legs. She gave them another tug. They didn't budge._

_"NO!" she screamed. "No, please! Artemis!" But he couldn't hear her. No one could hear her._

_Holly was a very brave elf. There were few times in her life when she had allowed herself to cry. But despite this, she found tears streaming down her cheeks in the darkness._

_"Artemis?" she cried. "Why won't you answer me?"_

_The ice had now made it to her knees, and she could no longer bend them. Holly shivered again, reality sinking in that this moment could be the last in her life. And there was no one to save her._

_A sudden noise made Holly look up again. She could hardly believe her eyes, but Artemis's door was slowly creaking open, allowing light to flood into the hall. A figure stood in the doorway._

_"Artemis?' Holly called out. "Artemis, is that you? Help me! Please!"_

_The figure began to walk towards her, carefully and deliberately. Artemis seemed to not realize the gravity of her situation. The ice had crept up her thighs._

_"Hurry!" said Holly. "The ice-"_

_He had reached her. Holly had to squint to see his face against the sharp contrast of the backlight. He stood before her, and as her eyes adjusted, she noticed that he was back in his suit, looking immaculate, like her used to. She could now make out his face. His eyes quickly surveyed the situation, and Holly could have sworn she saw sparks of magic flitting around them._

_"Holly?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"_

_"I-" she paused. "I don't know. Arty, please-"_

_"Shhhh," he whispered. "Don't speak. I understand."_

_Holly shut her mouth and looked at him with worry in her eyes. The ice was still spreading._

_Artemis kneeled, to her surprise. He reached out with his hands and slowly and gently took her face in his hands. He frowned when he felt the tears, and he brushed them away, caressing her cheeks._

_Holly didn't know what to do. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt her throat clutch. Artemis gave her a little half smile when he felt her pulse quicken. What was he doing?_

_Holly closed her eyes and tried to breathe. She opened them in surprise when she felt Artemis softly press his forehead against hers. He looked her in the eyes, and she couldn't turn away from his gaze. If it was possible, her pulse quickened even more. Suddenly his hushed voice broke the silence._

_"Heal," he whispered._

_Holly felt a rush of magic from the place where their foreheads touched. How was this possible? Artemis gave up all of his magic._

_The magic tingled down her face, lingering on her lips as she gasped involuntarily, closing her eyes again. She felt the power move down her skull and tingle down her spine, and then it began to melt. The ice dripped off of her, steam hissing as sparks touched it. It began to run down her and puddle onto the floor, but surprisingly, Holly was not wet._

_When the last of the ice had melted, Holly tentatively opened her eyes to find Artemis had not moved. Her breathe caught and her heart skipped. Finally, she managed to speak._

_"Arty."_

_He smiled, and drew back from her, but did not relinquish his gentle touch from her face. Holly tried to tell herself she wasn't disappointed when he broke the contact which had felt so intimate. However, like always, he seemed to be able to read her mind with ease._

_"Disappointed?" he raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Your pulse has slowed again."_

_"D'Arvit," she breathed, unable to tear her eyes from his._

_Artemis chuckled. "You seem a bit flustered, Holly. Is something wrong?"_

_Holly swallowed and silently cursed his ingenuity… it made him… no, she would not think the word irresistible._

_"D'Arvit, Artemis," she managed. Artemis winked at her, and tweaked the tip of her elfin ear before returning his hands to where they were._

_Holly gasped. "Don't-" she stopped. "Don't do that."_

_He chuckled again._

_Holly realized there was no way out. She gave into her inner self._

_"D'Arvit, Artemis," she repeated, heart racing once more. She knew he was teasing her, but she couldn't resist. "Just let me kiss you already."_

_Holly reached out and intertwined her fingers in his soft, dark hair. She moved in close, her lips hovered barely above his, brushing them. They closed their eyes._

_"Wait," Artemis breathed. "Holly, wait."_

_Holly paused. "Yes?" she whispered, the words touching his lips._

_"Holly…" he trailed off. She opened her eyes. "Holly, I'm... I'm not... and you're… and I-" he stopped, and turned his face away. "I'm sorry. I can't." he dropped his hands._

_Holly felt her heart sink. She averted her eyes and let go of him. "No. Don't be sorry, Mud Boy," she said as she backed away into the dark. "It's my fault. I should have known… I'm a fairy, and you're…" she stopped, taking a deep breath, angry at herself. "Goodnight Arty… and goodbye."_

_Then she turned and ran, never once looking over her shoulder… she didn't want to look at her mistake._

_"D'Arvit, Artemis."_

**A/N: Reviews? :) Please? :) Also, I have been pondering the creation of a chat room fic... hmm... if you are interested, let me know. Those are always fun. I may even give my first 3 reviewers a spot in the story... let the reviewing begin! :)**

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**


	6. Original, Unedited, Incomplete Ch 3

Chapter 3:

**A/N: So, I was looking through my word documents and discovered my original idea of how chapter 3 was going to go. It was never completed, and only very slightly diferent than what actually happened, but I thought mayyyybe you guys would be interested... or maybe not. Really I just wanted to post something, since I'm stil creating the next chapter. Anyways, Arty gets OOC, VERY OOC, I noticed (I had to laugh at it, quite ridiculous) at the halted end of what I had typed. So, Enjoy... (Not expecting you to, I'm just bored. :) Reviews please? So I can update? :)**

**With love, Arty's Girl.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't understand why these are necessary on a site called FANfiction, but nevertheless... *sighs in imitation of Artemis*I do not own Artems Fowl. If I did, the movie would be 3D and in theaters right now.**

Artemis growled in frustration. It should be him out there, not this fool Apollo. He was humiliated. He didn't even know this poor girl, and already Apollo was making a fool of him in front of her. He watched, mortified, as his own eyes traveled up and down her against his will. Artemis listened to his own voice and grimaced at the cheesy lines that came out of his mouth.

He was staring at the back wall in his father's study, watching the images that his eyes were seeing be projected onto it. At least, it looked like his father's study. Artemis knew that it was simply a memory that his brain had conjured up and modified to try and make sense of all that was going on inside his mind's turmoil.

Finally, hearing and seeing quite enough thank you very much, he tore his eyes away from the screen and glanced around at the personalities that filled the room. Over by the bookcases, the one with blue eyes was milling about, reading titles and flipping through pages. In his boredom, he had decided to learn something. (As if there was something he didn't know, seeing as Artemis had read every book in the manor.)

Artemis had come to know him as Daedalus. It was a fitting name; he was cunning and as clever as Artemis, yet he was cold and cruel. He reminded Artemis of himself when he was younger. He had had many adventures where he had certainly been less than cordial to all he met. And there were some things he had done that he regretted…

Daedalus looked up at Artemis suddenly, as if he sensed his gaze and understood his thoughts. Yet Artemis did not like to think of him as a part of himself. In fact, he was convinced that all of these personalities were simply extras, beings his mind had constructed from his memories as a result of trauma. As he looked at Daedalus, he could tell that he disagreed.

Daedalus looked away, and Artemis turned his eye to a different extra. The one with brown eyes. He was standing in front of the fireplace, gazing into his reflection in the mirror and wearing a look that made Artemis sick to his stomach. _If Foaly could see inside my exceptional brain…_ he shuddered at the thought of laughter and tormenting.

Artemis turned away from the vain (and deluded) version of himself with enormous distaste for all of his imprudence. _He_ was called Narcissus.

The next one his eyes came across was the extra with green eyes. He was already familiar with this one. (Guess who? =]) Orion. _Oh jubilance._ He had no need to think about the endless amount of problems he had caused… Artemis stopped. Where had that thought come from? And how did he know that he was familiar with Orion? He didn't remember ever encountering him before… hm. He mentally moved a cursor to click file-save.

Orion was over in the corner, arguing hotly with anyone who would listen that he knew the fairest maiden in the land and that they were in no way to disgrace her honor by pretending not to notice the horrendous fashion with which Apollo was observing her.

Artemis shook his head. Fairest maiden in the land? Who did this extra think he was, anyway? Or rather, to be more correct, what era did he think he was living in at the present? He scoffed the fool's ridiculous quarrel. No doubt he would get over it soon, as he was known to get easily distracted. So Artemis had concluded of him based on his body language and actions so far.

A portion of the conversation suddenly reached his ears. He quickly realized that was because Orion was directing a question at him.

"…do you not agree with me, kind sir?"

Artemis blinked. He had not heard the whole question, of course.

"I do beg your pardon? I had not realized you were addressing me."

Orion puffed up his chest and tried to look important. The end result was slightly less than impressive on Artemis's figure. Well, if you can imagine; the expensive Armani suit, the perfectly combed hair, the pale white skin glowing slightly under the lamplight, the mismatched eyes… Now imagine it with the suit a little disheveled the hair messy and definitely less than immaculate, due to the wholehearted arguing. The face drawn into a pompous look of clear anger… Despite Orion's intentions, he looked ridiculous.

"I asked you, goodly knight, if you agreed that my maiden is far more beautiful than any of us could ever deserve, or if you would find her a prize worth pursuing and dying for."

Artemis blinked. his thoughts reeled. this was uncharted territory. This was unknown and alien to him. As foreign as... well, now that he thought about it, he was pretty much familiar with just about anything... except for this. He tried to think quickly of something to say that would allow him to remain the dominant and most sensible of all the personalities. This was, of course, what was happening in his head. What he really said was this.

"Uhhh... um, well i suppose... erm, comparable to a Da vinci... well maybe a Michelangelo... um, she is, uh- great I guess." He finished with a rush. He felt his face burning red.

Instantly Artemis knew he'd made a mistake. He inwardly shook and rebuked himself for even answering the preposterous question in the first place. He watched, annoyed and slightly unnerved, as Orion's face also took on a shade of red that was similar to the carpet... Suddenly Orion expertly reached down to his side, as if to grab the hilt of a sword and challenge Artemis with it. He seemed extremely surprised to find that he did not have one. So instead, he drew himself up to his utmost height and glared Artemis in the eye.

"How dare you! MY princess is not a Da Vinci! Or a Michelangelo! How DARE you even suggest that she is a male! Stand and draw your weapon, fiend! We will fight to the death over her honor!" He exclaimed, and with that he grabbed an enormous encyclopedia off of the shelf and proceeded to charge Artemis.

"Holy fists of Butler!"

**A/N: I know...*shudder* in what twisted dimension would he EVER say this? Holy Toledos, Batman. Review...?**

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to update! If you didn't read Winter Wonderland, then you don't know that I am no longer setting a number of reviews to upload the next chapter. But anyways, I hope that does not deter you from giving me feedback! This is the long awaited chapter 6. Finally, you get to see Arty's reactions to what has been happening so far. Excited? :) Hopefully some hilarity here... And don't kill me because it will be few and far between. This chapter is supposed to add a little conflict and suspense to my so far light-hearted story... (And you are lucky because I almost decided to cut it at the end of Artemis's POV and leave you hanging. xp) Enjoy! Review, review, review!**

**With love,**

** Arty's Girl.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own him... *sigh* and to quote him from TTP, "If only..."**

Artemis sat on the floor with his eyes closed, hands palms up on his knees, and breathing deeply.

_Calm yourself,_ he thought. _Otherwise, you are liable to have a mental breakdown… inside your mental breakdown._ He repressed the urge to count the multiples of 5 to relax him. (Of course, his last thought had contained 15 words exactly, not including the pause.)

The cause of his extreme stress and embarrassment was the INSUBORDINATE FOOL who was COMPLETELY DESTROYING his credibility as a controlled, levelheaded genius determined to conquer his illness.

_Apollo has 6 letters... bad. One less and it's 5…_

Then a crushing weight settled upon his shoulders. _Artemis has 7 letters, not 5. FOWL has FOUR. And when put together, ARTEMIS FOWL has ELEVEN, not TEN._ However, he quickly assuaged his fears based on the conclusion that his full name, ARTEMIS FOWL THE SECOND, had 20 letters, which was a multiple of 5, so it was okay.

_I'm doing it again,_ thought Artemis with a suppressed groan. _Numbers should hold no reign over my thoughts. I am Artemis Fowl the Second, for Frond's sake._ And then, _Frond? Who is Frond? For some odd reason I cannot recall. My memory is like a puzzle, but no matter how many times I try to put all the little pieces back together, it seems like I am still missing quite a fair number of them. Too many…_

On the big screen, Apollo was still surfing down the hallway. Artemis finally decided that although he could hardly bear to watch, he could hardly resist.

He made a face.

This guy was an unfathomable imbecile.

And he was showing off a bit too much of Artemis's skin for his tastes.

Artemis realized in horror what was about to happen. _Apollo is just about to crash into the cafeteria door! _

_BAM!_

But to Artemis's dismay, the torture did not end there. The hospital bed kept rolling! He was in almost as much agony as poor, ridiculous Argon underneath Apollo's feet. _No, my feet._ Thought Artemis angrily. _That is MY body he is about to crash with!_

A knot of dread formed in Artemis's stomach. He was about to crash into Butler and that girl!

_No,_ he thought. _Anywhere else..._ but it was too late.

Artemis flinched as the bed wrecked into the table, spilling food everywhere and sending his body catapulting across it...

And slamming into hers.

Artemis felt his face turn red. It got even redder at what the idiot felt compelled to say to her.

_No. You. Just. Did. Not._

He immediately regretted that thought. Although it had five letters, it was not a complete sentence and sounded exactly like something Juliet would say before taking down a particularly smart-mouthed boy.

And although he had much the same feelings for his alter, he would prefer not to feel the pain that acting upon those feelings would inevitably cause.

Artemis ran his fingers through his hair most uncharacteristically and buried his head in his hands.

_I cannot watch any longer._

"Aww, poor Arty," cooed a voice from somewhere behind him and off to his left. "Can't handle a little humiliation?" This was followed by a harsh laugh.

Artemis straightened up and turned around to find the black-eyed alter strolling around holding the black wrought iron poker from the fireplace, methodically tapping his palm with it.

He gave Artemis a wicked grin.

"In fact," he continued, "This is not the only time I have seen you in such _pathetic_ state... let's see," he rested the poker over his shoulder and tapped his chin in thought. "What about... oh yes! What about when your father went missing? And poor little Arty boy kept a brave face for Mummy and Butler but he cried himself to sleep... how touching. Or what about the times when your own mother didn't recognize you? Ouch... like a punch to the heart. " He smiled maliciously. "Shall I continue?"

Artemis gave him a cold glare. "Thank you kindly, but I am well aware of my own personal moments of weakness."

The alter laughed, a loud raucous sound that grated on Artemis's nerves. "You..." he wheezed. "Well aware?" He laughed again. "OH, that is rich. Right now you don't know the half of it. What about Butler's death and healing again? Twice? Or what about Commander Root's murder? OR, what about when you were forced to let your one true love, Holly, be slaughtered by a foolish demon, only to watch it then never happen?" he grinned and gave a fake girlish giggle. "You, like, totally don't know ANYTHING!" he finished with a scream.

Artemis felt his heartbeat quicken and his throat felt dry. _Wait- is that even possible in here?_ he wondered briefly, then concluded that it was because everything in here was a figment of his imagination.

"What can you possibly mean?" he asked cautiously. "Butler never died. And I don't know a 'Holly' or 'Commander Root'... not at all," he added to make his statement safe by fives.

The alter gave a knowing smile. "Forgive me," he drawled dramatically, "But I have not yet introduced myself." He winked.

The alter took the poker from his shoulder and strode toward Artemis, swinging it in his left hand. The white eyed alter was on the way to him, and he flinched in terror and drew back tearfully when the black eyed Artemis faked a swing at his face.

_Cruel... what is his problem?_ he thought.

Black eyed Artemis came to stand directly in front of him, holding the poker with his hands spread out along it, like a bar. He got in close and breathed in Artemis's face.

"The name," he grinned, "Is Hades."

Quick as lightning, he let go of the poker with one hands and drew it back with the other, aiming for the unwitting Artemis's heart.

Artemis saw the poker coming for him like it all happened in slow motion. As it began to fall, Hades whispered,"And God said, 'Let there be Dark.'"

And there was dark.

** Holly's POV **

Holly gasped, eyelids fluttering, as she shot upright. She coughed, spraying water from her windpipe.

_I almost drowned._

She shivered uncontrollably in the now cold bath water. The bubbles had long since disappeared and the room was no longer steamy. Instead a thin film of water covered everything in the bathroom from the floor to the mirrors.

_Great. Now just try not to slip._

Holly found it difficult to stop coughing. Her throat felt raw and her lungs ached. She was lucky to be alive. She rose shakily from the tub and grabbed a towel off of the rack, throwing it on the floor and grabbing another to dry herself with. Suddenly her communicator on the counter beeped urgently. Holly grabbed it and answered before thinking to cover herself with the towel.

"Hello?" She coughed.

Foaly's image came to life. "Holly! It's important! Artemis, he-" He stopped and quickly turned away from the camera. "Holly, please. A little modesty."

Holly was sure her face took on a shade of red that would challenge even Commander Root himself.

"Sorry," she mumbled and hastily wrapped the towel around her. "You can turn around now. I just got out of the bath and I wasn't thinking..." she trailed off and he turned around shaking his head.

"Forget it, I have already cleared my memory. Now, this is important-"

Holly suddenly remembered what he had started to say. "Oh Frond! Artemis! Is he okay? What happened! Tell me!"

"I'm about to! Jeez. We need you over here RIGHT NOW Holly, he is having problems with his heart. They cleaned him up and took him back to his room and he suddenly collapsed. Hurry," he added somberly. "It looks bad. They are thinking it's possible he could have an attack any minute."

Holly's blood pressure jumped much quicker than was healthy for her.

"I'll be there ASAP."

She broke the connection and got ready in record time, throwing on some of her casual civilian clothes because it was faster.

Holly was out the door in less than a minute.

** Butler's POV **

Butler stood by Artemis's bedside anxiously, praying fervently that these fairies knew what they were doing.

He had never been much of a praying man.

But now he was opening his heart up to God more than he had done as a young child.

"Can't you do something about that?" he yelled to a nurse who was scurrying over with an IV. He was referring to Artemis's flailing limbs and shivering body. She nearly screamed from being yelled at by a mountain such as himself. Quivering and trying to steady herself, she approached his young charge again.

"Give me that!" Butler snapped. "You're shaking too much! I know how to do it."

The nurse looked terrified and reluctant, but she handed him the needle. Butler steadied his hands and inserted it into a vein in Artemis's right arm. The nurse returned and adjusted the dosage before hastily getting out of Butler's way.

Suddenly the door burst open and DR. Argon re-entered, striding to Artemis and helping Butler, who was already restraining Artemis so he wouldn't hurt himself.

"Get me a fully charged nurse!" he yelled to the various assistants who were fixing the medical instruments that were being attached to Artemis's body in several places.

"Come on, Artemis," Butler said. "Hang in there." _I didn't protect you all this way to have you die of cardiac arrest._

Artemis groaned and his eyes rolled in their sockets at the sound of his friend and bodyguard's voice.

Beside him, Argon was muttering to himself quickly.

"Flailing limbs.. erratic heartbeat... white eyes... sweating.. over-active skin nerves..." Artemis jerked as a nurse attached another sensor to his chest.

"Of course!" he cried. "Why didn't I see it before!"

"See what before?" Butler demanded. "What is it? What's wrong with him?"

"It's his brain! The alter egos must be conflicting! His brain is going into shock because it can't handle the overload of information from every conflicting alter... someone must have started a fight... his body is simulating a response to physical injury, like poison!"

Butler felt a ball of lead drop in his stomach. "Well, fix it!"

Argon's hands fluttered in nervousness and excitement. "Yes, yes of course!" he glanced at the nearest nurse. "The machine! Turn it up to level five!" he barked. "And where is that fully charged nurse?"

The door burst open again to reveal Holly Short dressed as a civilian, soaking wet, and wild-eyed. She took one look at the situation and ran to his bedside, cursing all the way.

"Move, D'Arvit!" She shrieked at a sprite nurse who was in her way. The sprite backed away fearfully. Holly reached Butler and Argon and looked Argon in the eyes.

"Can I heal him?"

Argon nodded vigorously. "Yes! I have been asking everyone-"

"Then get out of the way!" she commanded, shoving him aside and taking Artemis's face in her shaking hands. Tears leaked from his eyes and Butler knew she would find his face hot to the touch.

"Heal," she whispered desperately, eyes riveted on him.

Butler backed away. He did not want to be a part of all that magic, sparking and nearly lifting Artemis off of the bed. A cocoon of blue sparkling light encased Artemis, spreading from Holly's fingers.

Holly gave until she couldn't give anymore. She gave him every last drop of magic and backed away to let more nurses scurry in to adjust levers and knobs on the complicated medical machines. She backed into Butler, turning around and allowing him to wrap her up tightly in a comforting hug.

"Don't worry," he murmured to his dear friend. "He will make it. he always does."

** Artemis's POV **

Limbs and nails fought desperately against other bodies in the darkness, and terror and screams were running rampant. Artemis gasped for breath, clutching his heart and crawling desperately toward the glowing door that was going to allow one of them to gain control of his body. He coughed blood and wheezed, using all the strength he had to fight off the other desperate alters.

Artemis heard Hades cackle and felt him crush his left hand with his shoe. Artemis cried out in pain.

"Why are you not hurt?" Artemis managed, coughing up more blood and he still struggled against the mass of confusion.

"I am!" Hades shouted. "But the pain of all you fools gives me strength! And now, I am free to take over your body and make it out into the world!"

Artemis groaned and reached out with his good hand to grab the poker from the floor.

"Not," he panted, "If I have any say in this matter!"

Artemis held the poker close to the front point and lifted it high, ramming it down on Hades's shoe, feeling it go through his foot and sink into the wooden floor.

"Agggghhhhh!" Hades cried, and tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge.

With a last desperate lunge, Artemis dove through the bright doorway and felt himself falling...

falling...

falling...

His last coherent thought was, "So this is what falling down the rabbit hole felt like."

And there was dark.

**A/N: Enjoy? :) muahahaha. Review please so yoo can find out what happened to Arty sooner... *malicious grin resembling Hades***

**With love,**

** Arty's Girl.**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you sooo much for the great reviews I have had so far! Enjoying the twists the story had been taking? ;) I'm super excited for all the drama that is being introduced into the mix. I have noticed that I seem to have some fans of my "conflict character", Hades. This makes me most happy, seeing as I too love him, even though he is quite a problem for Arty. My last chapter was a cliffie, and I will try to make this one a bit more satisfying although no promises, hehe... you will have to remain subject to my artistic whims. (I'm listening to Owl City and Evanescence so this should be veryyy interesting.) Also, keep in mind that Arty will not always think/speak in fives because he suffers from it in sudden attacks, like his paranoia. Just a reminder. Also, to skiddliebop, thank you for traveling so far! lol. The white eyed Arty's name will be revealed in later chapters. To Pikachica, thanks for the advice. I agree, however I used capital letters on purpose to express Artemis's personality being influenced by AC, and illustrate his heightened frustration. And to everyone who has given me such wonderful support, thank you! Enjoy! Review please!**

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**

**Disclaimer: None of us do, but if you did own him... what would you do?**

** Holly's POV **

Her heartbeat was the loudest sound in the room, adding to a chorus of many bodies breathing, machines whirring and beeping, and nervous looks among nurses that seemed to have voices of their own.

_Artemis. Please... please. Arty, please... don't do this to me._

Holly squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to hold onto the hope that had blossomed quickly in her chest and was disappearing just as quickly as wisps of doubt smuggled in. She felt Butler's hand tighten on her shoulder and she opened her eyes once more.

Artemis looked like hell, painted with an angelic brush that had left its traces of beauty. He looked like a new corpse. But then again, Arty always looked like that... And Holly found herself in a moment of desperation. It was a moment laced with bittersweet memories. Absent-mindedly, she raised a delicate finger to her lips, remembering the dying sparks of lost chances.

_Your elf-kissing days are over._

But at that moment, Holly would have gladly kissed him again, if it meant she could bring life back into his eyes... his chest which had stopped its rapid rises and falls.

_Arty... Artemis. This can't be the end. You're stronger than that... Artemis the undefeated. Come on, remember that? Remember that smile you always give me when you know something I don't? I need that smile now, Arty. Because when I see it... it will mean you won again. You proved yourself right._

His eyelids... she could have sworn she saw them flicker for the barest of moments. Involuntarily, she gave a tiny gasp.

** Artemis's POV **

Blue and hazel pools of light were the first thing that caught his eyes. For hardly a second, that felt right. But then the moment passed, and Artemis was left confused.

And then there was a collective sigh of relief passed around the room from every individual. He tried to speak, but his throat felt raw and constricted.

_Is that from the blood?_

But no, the metallic taste had left his mouth with no traces left, like it had never been there.

_It was never really there. It's all in my head. What is wrong with me?_

"Artemis! Artemis!" voices clamored his name like discordant bells, adding to the stress of his pounding head.

_I feel like I just crashed from a sugar high._

Artemis grimaced and squinted through the bright room.

There was Butler. And there were nurses, and that fool of a doctor. And there was that mysterious, pretty girl...

_Pretty? Did I really just think that? This is ridiculous, given the circumstances._

Artemis willed himself to ignore the distraction. He would have time to deal with pretty girls another day and time, perhaps, in the future. He had long given up trying to defeat puberty, but it could be ignored at times, with proper concentration.

She spoke.

"Artemis? Oh thank _God_, I- I almost..." A few tears spilled from her eyes and she rushed to the bedside. Artemis noticed with interest that Butler had been comforting her. There was so much happening lately that made no sense...

Artemis blinked and tried not to stare from sheer sincerity of the alien feeling of her gaze.

"Butler?" he asked nervously.

Then he felt his chest with shaking hands, checking for a non-existent wound. But it had been so _real..._

Butler was at his side in an instant, putting a warm hand on his shoulder, kneeling to the floor, and giving him a weary smile.

"Arty, you're back." His expression was one or pure relief. He gently took Artemis's hand and gave it a firm squeeze, as would one's father.

Artemis swallowed, trying to make sense of the translucent and hazy images in his big brain. The lights and colors in the room seemed to swirl for a moment.

"What-" cough, "What happened? There was Hades, and then.. then the others.. and- and through my _chest..._ I thought, surely, but then the glowing door, it opened-" he stopped abruptly, realizing with a start how mad it all seemed. He sounded like a fool.

Butler raised an eyebrow at him and shook his head. "Artemis. I have no idea what you're talking about. We brought you back from the cafeteria and cleaned you up, well, cleaned _Apollo_ up, and he seemed a little slap happy after crashing into Holly... and then you just collapsed..."

'Holly' was still staring at him.

Artemis swallowed again, to clear his throat, and spoke.

"Butler, what has happened to me? I don't understand anything. Why are we here, in this place, with all these creatures? Who are these who claim to know me so well? It doesn't make sense."

Butler sighed and wiped his brow with his sleeve. "That's a very long story."

Butler had tried to explain the story to Artemis shortly after he had first woken up in the clinic, but somehow it hadn't gone over clearly and he had decided to wait until Artemis's newly awakened brain could handle the news. Artemis knew this, and it only made things seem all the more impossibly complicated.

Holly reached out for his hand. "Artemis," she said quietly, "Please. Tell me you remember something." Her big eyes were searching his.

Artemis felt a momentary twang of guilt. "I'm sorry," he said, "But no."

** Two Days Later **

Foaly looked across at his friend. She had joined him for lunch in his office since she was avoiding Trouble, who was apparently looking to hand her another pile of paperwork.

He silently analyzed her expression for a moment, then getting up the courage, he spoke.

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

Holly put down her fork and her eyes snapped up defensively.

"A bit."

Foaly shook his head at her. He knew better than _'a bit_.'

"You're not the only one hurting, you know. And I wish you would just admit that you miss him. Holly, he is your best friend, aside from me of course." He gave her a pointed look. "I know you think you have to protect yourself or something, but you don't. You don't have to be so _solid_ and_ strong_ all the time, D'Arvit."

Holly glared at him. "Since when did you become an expert on my feelings?"

Foaly chuckled. "Holly, please. We have known each other too long for that."

Holly sighed and twirled her fork around her plate, chasing a tomato through a tiny forest of salad greens.

"Okay, I miss him. We all want him to come back. But I'm beginning to think it's impossible. Artemis has an incredible mind, Foaly, we all know it. Don't you think he would have come back to us by now? This isn't like the first time. We didn't wipe him, and he hasn't been remembering even pieces of anything."

Foaly felt a pang inside his chest. "I know. I've been doing some thinking about it too."

Holly closed her eyes for a brief moment and sighed. "It's just so frustrating! Surely he would remember... not like he could forget..." She trailed off, obviously lost in her own thoughts.

"Something in particular you want to discuss?"

She turned her gaze back to him uncomfortably. "No."

Foaly knew as soon as she said it it was a lie. She showed all the classic micro-expressions.

"That was a lie, Holly."

"So what?" she replied stiffly. "It's none of your business anyway. Besides, it has nothing to do with anything... and it didn't... oh nevermind."

Foaly raised an eyebrow almost comically. "Sounds like it has something to do with it. Or something that's bothering you. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's... okay, maybe something is wrong. Forget it. It was just a stupid dream."

"A dream, huh?"

Holly shrugged and avoided his eyes. "Just a dream. Nothing to it."

Foaly waited patiently in silence for her to continue.

"Well..."

"Get it off your, chest Holly. I promise it helps."

Holly laughed nervously. "You're going to think I'm crazy."

"No, I won't," he promised. "Just tell me."

Holly sighed and her rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache, then she looked at him.

"You can't tell anyone."

"I promise I won't."

"Swear?"

"I swear," he smiled a little. "As do you. Come on, just spill it."

"Don't be a smart- 'ass'."

Foaly chuckled. "Oh, haha, very funny. I'm laughing my rump off. Don't change the subject."

Holly gave an amused half smile. "I thought it was."

"You're delaying..."

"Fine," she snapped, then softened. "I'm sorry."

"Just tell me already."

Holly's eyes got a faraway look. "It was really dark..."

** Hades's POV **

Somewhere, lurking in the shadows of the bookshelves of Artemis's mind-study, a dark figure sat thinking.

Plotting and brooding.

_NO ONE gets the best of me. I will not be denied. Oh, the things I could do with a body..._

He smiled to himself.

_Somehow, Fowl was able to defeat me. But if I had some assistance..._

He turned his gaze to one of the fools trapped here in the prison with him.

_That one will be most easily swayed._

Then another caught his attention.

_And that one will be a fierce fighter, if he can be properly coerced... yes, I believe an appeal to his passion for the girl would be useful._

Hades turned his fathomless eyes on every one of them.

_He needs to be promised something for himself, that should do it. Oh, and flattery... I have a silver tongue, that should come easily._

_He is an idiot. All I have to do is appeal to his lust for adventure and fun._

_That one is brilliant.. I shall have to persuade him that mine is the winning team. He will join swiftly once the others have turned._

_Hmmm... he may be the hardest of all. If he will not join us, he will be overthrown with Artemis._

The alter gave a quiet chuckle, too quiet for the rest to hear.

"You made your move, Fowl. The game is on... but I will gain some pawns, and before you know it..."

He gave a satisfied grin.

"Check Mate."

**A/N: Dun dun dun dunnnnn! And so, the plot thickens... and the name of this story becomes clear! Happy? I am. Also, special acknowledgement will go to reviewers who can tell me the order of the alters as Hades was describing his plans for them. Well, anyways.. you know what to do! (I only say this every time, lol)**

**With love,**

**Arty's Girl.**


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